The Role Of Femininity In Literature

There has always been an overt fascination with the role gender must play within society, with two distinct identities being constructed in order to cast them upon those that fall under a specific, predetermined umbrella. In this line of thinking, men are given the privilege of holding the majority of power, the assumption that they have inherent strength above all others prevalent within the confines of upholding a status quo. Women, therefore, are limited in that regard, and are assumed to be weak and fragile, unable to express themselves and forced to play role with no power despite themselves. In truth, gender is not separated by a line into two separate kinds of entities, the assumptions thrust upon men, and especially women, just that—assumptions, …show more content…
Poets like Whitman and Dickinson provide a foundation in which the opposition against the gender roles can stand, as they not only lift the role of the woman in a society, but do so in a way that intertwines her role with that of the man’s. Despite the role given to her, she is no different than her male counterpart, as she too has desires and passions even if she must repress them. By hindering her, society is only affecting the entirety of itself, as femininity is always linked to its supposed opposing half, regardless of any thoughts on the contrary.
As such, in order to properly tie together the themes of gender used by Whitman and Dickinson, their works must first be analyzed individually, thus bringing out the several techniques they both employ. In Whitman’s case especially, he chooses to identify not only men throughout his work, but women as well, often combining the two in a way that almost makes them into one singular being rather than two separate individuals within his metaphors. Even as a male poet, Whitman’s speaker chooses to describe himself as “…the poet of the woman the same as …show more content…
Whereas Whitman suggests the idea of sexuality as a means of breaking social barriers, Dickinson instead provides a more subdued thought, one that illustrates the idea that power is derived from emotional force. However, it should be noted that having an overt sense of sexuality is usually a rather masculine, brutish endeavor, while the femininity often tied with emotions makes one view them as a sign of weakness rather than strength. Thus, while the two poets are, in truth, providing feminist ideals, they do so while using conventions that are often associated with their own particular gender, creating a fascinating kind of tension within the confines of their individual works. Whereas some might consider this a detriment to what they are trying to convey, it could instead be seen as Whitman and Dickinson using the supposed gender norms of society to their own advantage, turning it all on its head in order to create a source of feminist inspiration. As was mentioned earlier, both poets are hoping to deconstruct the usual assumptions of gender through their works, in turn making it imperative for them to subvert the norms as a means to conveying such an idea to their audiences. However, their way of